function
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English
Etymology
From Middle French function, from Old French fonction, from Latin functiō (“performance, execution”), from functus, perfect participle of fungor (“to perform, execute, discharge”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- (“to enjoy”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈfʌŋ(k)ʃən/, /ˈfʌŋkʃn̩/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈfʌŋkʃən/, ,
Audio (US): (file) - Hyphenation: func‧tion
- Rhymes: -ʌŋkʃən
Noun
function (plural functions)
- What something does or is used for.
- 2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
- Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.
- A professional or official position.
- Synonyms: occupation, office, part, role
- An official or social occasion.
- Synonyms: affair, occasion, social occasion, social function
- Our hotel is hosting a function for all the warehouse workers on the night of April 18.
- Something which is dependent on or stems from another thing; a result or concomitant.
- 2008 June 1, A. Dirk Moses, “Preface”, in Empire, Colony, Genocide: Conquest, Occupation, and Subaltern Resistance in World History, Berghahn Books, →ISBN, page x:
- Though most of the cases here cover European encounters with non-Europeans, it is not the intention of the book to give the impression that genocide is a function of European colonialism and imperialism alone.
- A relation where one thing is dependent on another for its existence, value, or significance.
- (mathematics) A relation in which each element of the domain is associated with exactly one element of the codomain.
- Synonyms: map, mapping, mathematical function, operator, transformation
- Hypernyms: relation, morphism
- (computing) A routine that receives zero or more arguments and may return a result.
- Synonyms: procedure, routine, subprogram, subroutine, func, funct
- (biology) The physiological activity of an organ or body part.
- (chemistry) The characteristic behavior of a chemical compound.
- (anthropology) The role of a social practice in the continued existence of the group.
Hyponyms
astronomy: Hyponyms of function
- (chemistry): acidity function
computing: Hyponyms of function
- anonymous function
- Boolean function
- built-in function
- complexity function
- computable function
- concave function
- constructor function
- convex function
- error function
- first-class function
- Hartley function
- lacunary function
- predefined function
- Ramanujan theta function
- recursive function
- restricted function
- second-class function
- set function
- switch function
- third-class function
- transition function
- user-defined function
logic: Hyponyms of function
management: Hyponyms of function
mathematics: Hyponyms of function
- additive function
- aggregate function
- algebraic function
- alternating function
- analytic function
- anonymous function
- Baire function
- bei function
- ber function
- Bessel function
- beta function
- Bloch function
- bounded function
- boxcar function
- Brillouin function
- Cantor function
- characteristic function
- Chebyshev function
- circular function
- comparable function
- complementary function
- composite function
- connect function
- constant function
- constraint function
- contiguous function
- continuous function
- correlation function
- cost function
- critical function
- cylinder function
- decreasing function
- delta function
- density function
- describing function
- differentiable function
- discriminant function
- dissipation function
- distance function
- distribution function
- driving-point function
- eigenfunction
- elementary function
- Emden function
- entire function
- Euler's phi function
- even function
- explicit function
- exponential function
- first-class function
- form function
- Fowler function
- frontogenetic function
- gamma function
- generating function
- Green's function
- Hamiltonian function
- Hankel function
- harmonic function
- hei function
- her function
- Hildebrand function
- homogeneous function
- Hugoniot function
- hyperbolic function
- hypergeometric function
- identity function
- implicit function
- impulse function
- incidence function
- increasing function
- independent function
- influence function
- inner function
- integrable function
- integral function
- invariant function
- inverse function
- inverting function
- J function
- jump function
- kei function
- ker function
- Koebe function
- Lagrangian function
- Lamé function
- Legendre function
- Leverett function
- linear function
- Liouville function
- loss function
- Lyapunov function
- mass function
- Massieu function
- Mathieu function
- measurable function
- membership function
- meromorphic function
- microspec function
- Möbius function
- monotone function
- multilinear function
- natural function
- Neumann function
- normalized function
- normalized support function
- number-theoretic function
- objective function
- odd function
- one-way function
- orthogonal function
- orthonormal function
- partial function
- partition function
- Patterson function
- penalty function
- periodic function
- Planck function
- point function
- polynomial function
- power function
- principal function
- psi function
- quadratic function
- Rademacher function
- random function
- rational function
- real function
- recursive function
- regular function
- Riemann function
- Riemann P function
- sample function
- scalar function
- self-organizing function
- sensitivity function
- shear-viscosity function
- sigma function
- signum function
- simple function
- single-valued function
- sinusoidal function
- Smarandache function
- special function
- step function
- stream function
- stress function
- summable function
- support function
- symmetric function
- test function
- theta function
- torsion function
- transcendental function
- transfer function
- transmission function
- trigonometric cofunction
- trigonometric function
- truth function
- unit function
- universal wavelength function
- variadic function
- vector function
- Wannier function
- Weierstrass function
- weight function
- zeta function
physics: Hyponyms of function
- (psychology): executive ego function
- (signal processing): spectral density function/spectral function
- (systems theory): control function
Derived terms
terms derived from function (some belong in Hyponyms section above)
- Ackermann function
- activation function
- adaptive-control function
- analytical function generator
- anatomy of function
- antihyperbolic function
- antitrigonometric function
- arc-hyperbolic function
- arithmetic function
- bent function
- bifunctional
- binary function
- black-box function
- bodily function
- Borel function
- busy beaver function
- ceil function
- ceiling function
- choice function
- cofunction
- complex function
- consumption function
- cubic function
- cumulative distribution function
- derived function
- Dickman function
- difunctional
- digamma function
- diode function generator
- Dirac delta function
- Dirichlet eta function
- divisor function
- dysfunction
- eigenfunction expansion
- electron wave function
- elliptic function
- empty function
- Euler's totient function
- executive function
- exponential generating function
- feedback transfer function
- floor function
- forcing function
- forward transfer function
- functional
- functionalism
- functionality
- function code
- function-evaluation routine
- function failure safety
- function generator
- functionhood
- function key
- function multiplier
- function object
- function overloading
- function pointer
- function space
- function switch
- function table
- function unit
- function value
- function word
- Gabor function
- gain-of-function
- gain of function
- gain-of-function research
- Gaussian function
- general-purpose function generator
- generic function
- Hammett acidity function
- Hann function
- hash function
- Heaviside unit function
- Helmholtz function
- Herbrand function
- higher-order function
- homogenous function
- hybrid wave function
- implicit function theorem
- inclusion function
- indicator function
- initial mass function
- inverse function theorem
- inverse hyperbolic function
- inverse trigonometric function
- iterated function system
- Kelvin function
- K-function
- lambda function
- Lambert W function
- liver function test
- logarithmic function
- logarithmic trigonometric function
- logistic function
- loop transfer function
- malfunction
- malfunction routine
- member function
- mimic function
- minimal brain dysfunction syndrome
- Mittag-Leffler function
- moment-generating function
- monofunctional compound
- monotonic function
- Morse function
- multifunction array radar
- onto function
- pairing function
- partial function application
- payoff function
- physically unclonable function
- physical unclonable function
- platelet function test
- polygamma function
- positive linear functional
- Prandtl-Meyer function
- probability density function
- probability mass function
- programmed function key
- pulmonary function test
- pure virtual function
- quartic function
- quintic function
- radial distribution function
- radicofunctional name
- Riemann zeta-function
- Riemann zeta function
- Schrödinger wave function
- Schur function
- second-class function
- separated-function synchrotron
- sharpness function technique
- sigmoid function
- sign function
- sink function
- Skolem function
- smooth function
- spatial wave function
- step-function generator
- strictly decreasing function
- strictly increasing function
- subfunctional
- surjective function
- tapped-potentiometer function generator
- thermodynamic function of state
- time-constructible function
- tool-function controller
- total function
- trapdoor function
- trigamma function
- Turing computable function
- Turing function
- utility function
- valuation function
- variable diode function generator
- virtual function
- vital function
- von Mangoldt function
- Walsh function
- window function
- work function
- Zarankiewicz function
Related terms
terms derived from function
Translations
what something does or is used for
|
professional or official position
|
official or social occasion
|
relation where one thing is dependent on another
|
mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
|
computing: routine that returns a result
|
biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
|
chemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
|
References
Verb
function (third-person singular simple present functions, present participle functioning, simple past and past participle functioned)
- (intransitive) To have a function.
- (intransitive) To carry out a function; to be in action.
- Synonyms: go, operate, run, work
- Antonym: malfunction
- 1991, Kenneth G Ross, Robert W Matthews, The social biology of wasps:
- Although the laying workers functioned in a queenlike manner, they were unable to suppress ovarian development as effectively as the queen.
Related terms
Translations
to have a function
|
to carry on a function
|
Middle French
Noun
function f (plural functions)
- function (what something's intended use is)